The Director of Corps Welfare and Health Services of the National Youth Service Corps, Mr. Benjamin Folorunso Ayo-Omotade, has described Corps Members across the country as critical drivers of national development, saying the scheme remains a priceless asset to Nigeria.
Ayo-Omotade made this known during a homecoming visit to Osun State, where he began his career in the NYSC over three decades ago. He spoke at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Ede while interacting with members of the Orientation Broadcasting Service.
According to him, the training, mentorship, and discipline imbibed by Corps Members have continued to validate the relevance of the scheme, stressing that the NYSC is far from being a misplaced priority.
He recalled his early days in the scheme with nostalgia, noting that he was among the pioneer staff who laid the foundation of the NYSC structure in Osun State more than 34 years ago.
“We had nothing then except the determination to make an impact. Through selfless service and collective commitment, we built a programme that has united Nigerian youths across ethnic and religious divides,” he said.
The director urged Corps Members to embrace hard work, discipline, and dedication, noting that such virtues would remain invaluable throughout their lives.
Ayo-Omotade, who once served as Farm Manager at the inception of the scheme in the state and later worked as Personal Assistant to three former State Coordinators, admonished the Corps Members to serve with a strong sense of responsibility, assuring them that the NYSC discipline and reward system would always be applied fairly.
He also challenged them to study their host communities and develop initiatives capable of contributing meaningfully to the state’s development, rather than engaging in unproductive pursuits.
“From orientation camp through the service year, the NYSC has designed programmes to build your capacity and expand your horizons. You all have what it takes to make Nigeria great. Those before you laid a solid foundation; your duty is to build on it, not destroy it,” he added.
During the visit, the director inspected the camp clinic, where he interacted with Corps Members and held discussions with consultants and medical personnel from the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital.
He later visited the camp kitchen, where he commended Corps Members and officials for maintaining high hygiene standards in meal preparation.
Ayo-Omotade, a former Director of the NYSC South-South and North-East Area Offices, also praised the Osun State Coordinator of the scheme, Mr. Ekeng Ita Kubiangha, for what he described as remarkable achievements within a short period of assuming office.
In a related development, the director, alongside the state coordinator, paid a courtesy visit to the Osun State Commissioner for Youth Affairs and Chairman of the NYSC Governing Board, Mr. Moshood Olagunju, where he appealed for improved facilities and infrastructure at the orientation camp.
While acknowledging the financial pressures on the state government, Ayo-Omotade urged the authorities to continue prioritising the welfare of Corps Members in line with people-oriented policies.
The visit climaxed with the director, dressed in the NYSC uniform in remembrance of his service year in Ogun State 36 years ago, rewarding outstanding Corps Members, including the quarter guard, OBS crew, and security personnel at the camp.
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